Road safety: new European rules on seat belt
use

The latest European
Directive[1] on the compulsory
use of seat belts has to be incorporated into law in the Member States by 9 May
2006. Under the existing European legislation it was compulsory to use seat
belts in vehicles below 3.5 tonnes fitted with restraints. This obligation has
now been extended to all categories of vehicles. The Directive also requires the
use of restraint systems specially adapted for children.

“I am convinced that thismeasure will save thousands of
lives. In so doing it will help to meet the target of halving the number of
deaths on the roads by 2010 compared with the figure of 50 000 in 2001”
said Jacques Barrot, the European Commission Vice-President with special
responsibility for transport.

The European Commission recently reviewed the efforts made since 2001 to
improve road safety. While considerable progress has been made, particularly in
some Member States - in 2005 there were 41 000 road fatalities in Europe
compared with 50 000 in 2001 - greater efforts will have to be made at all
levels if the target of halving the number of deaths on the roads by 2010 is to
be met.

The new European Directive is a step in the right direction. Failure to use
seat belts is the second biggest cause of road deaths, after speeding and ahead
of drink-driving. A study[2]
carried out for the European Commission has come to the conclusion that, in the
best-case scenario, actions targeting the use of seat belts would save 5 500
lives a year in the EU.

Generally speaking, the European legislation in force so far made seat belt
use compulsory only in vehicles under 3.5 tonnes. In vehicles with more than
nine seats and in commercial vehicles, it was not compulsory to use seat belts
when sitting in the back of vehicles. The existing Directive did require the use
of child restraints on seats fitted with seat belts, but it did not specify what
type of restraint would be appropriate. It allowed children to travel without
being properly restrained by a device suited to their size if none was
available.

Research has shown that the use of child restraints can make a big
contribution to reducing the severity of road accident injuries, and that a
child who travels without being suitably restrained runs a higher risk of injury
and a higher risk of being injured more severely than a child who is properly
restrained. The common rules on the protection of children therefore needed
tightening up.

The new Directive, which the Member States have to incorporate into national
law by 9 May 2006, makes it compulsory to use seat belts in all categories of
vehicles and on all seats fitted with them; it also provides for a series of
measures to improve the safety of children travelling in cars, lorries and
coaches.

For example, children less than 1.35 metres tall, or travelling in cars or
lorries fitted with safety devices, must be restrained by an approved device
adapted to their weight. The Member States can allow children over 1.35 metres
tall to use an adult seat belt. The use of rearward-facing child restraints is
now no longer allowed on the front passenger seat unless its airbag has been
deactivated.

Twelve Member States[3] have
informed the European Commission of their national measures for implementing
Directive 2003/20/EC.

With the Commission’s agreement, the Member States can grant a number
of exemptions, e.g. in order to allow certain types of occupation to be carried
out effectively, in order to ensure that the police, security or emergency
services can perform their duties properly, and in order to take account of the
specific conditions of certain types of transport.

Six Member States[4] have
asked the Commission to be allowed to grant exemptions.

[1] Directive 2003/20/EC of
the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 April 2003 amending Council
Directive 91/671/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to the compulsory use of safety belts in vehicles of less than 3.5
tonnes. Official Journal No L 115, 9.5.2003 pages 63 – 67.